Written Directions

Start by getting yourself to Hannibal, OH. From their just take Ohio Rt 536 east to the end point of Ohio Rt 78. there are no towns between Hannibal and 78.

Scenery

Hidden in the southeast corner of Ohio, just north of Wayne National Forest, you'll find a fantastic ride through the deep woods. Pics wouldn't even be able to really describe it. From steep hills, to valleys ... the view is superb!

Road Quality

There are practically no flat spots on this one. There are turns as tight as 15 mph; I took them at 30, and i was very close to scraping pegs. There are a few 180 degree reversals on it, and this snakes over some extremely steep terrain; steep enough that a stock sportster will need to be in 3rd gear. The road is in great shape pavement wise and yet will give any rider a serious workout and has to be treated with a lot of respect. 97% of the rough curves are well marked out, and it's highly advised to pay heed to them; they're there for a reason. The hills are very steep also, and can easily tax the brakes and I suggest using the engine as an additional brake. Keep in mind there are NO GUARDRAILS anywhere on this road once u start to leave Hannibal. Like the dragon, leave this road, and u leave the extra hard way. The hills are steep enough that u will quickly get too much speed for any hairpins that could come up. be on high alert for gravel in the moderate and extra sharp hairpins and curves as u will only have seconds at best to react to gravel. Another danger is idiots driving too fast in their cars ... stay on yer side of the road, or become a bug on the windshield.

Roadside Amenities

This route is meant for ridding and nothing else! The only thing between the start point and the end point are turns, turns and more turns.

Just rode this yesterday 5-8-14. Neat ride 3rd gear most of the way,came down 800 to 78 to 536. I liked 78 it was smooth wide and scenic. 536 is tight and twisty,can't check the scenery as the roads takes all the attention.I went north on 7 to 148 to rt 9. I enjoyed that more,148 is wide smooth nice turns and 9 to Belmont county is fun ride.

By Gueston March 19, 20097 out of 10 members found this review useful.

No Rating Provided

Motorcycle Year 2003

Motorcycle Make OTHER

Motorcycle Type Other

Spent the day on 536, 556, 255 and 78 and Sykes Ridge Road a wonderful day trip from Pittsburgh. The difference between the real "Tail of the Dragon" in NC/TN is that there are houses, driveways and barns in Ohio that the Dragon does not have. The road itself is a good comparison. I recommend the drive to bike and sports cars.

By Gueston October 15, 20106 out of 7 members found this review useful.

4.5out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2002

Motorcycle Make Honda

Motorcycle Type Cruiser

Just got back from the NC/TN dragon US 129....frankly the southern dragon is over hyped.....fun but not particularly visually stimulating....536 is a better ride for my money...on the other hand ....the Cherohola Skyway in same general area as US 129 is magnificent...by the way 536 is much more dangerous than the southern dragon due to unlimited access on 536...be safe...wear the gear ....enjoy the view...but not too long...536 dragon will bite

Discovered this road last year on another site. Love it. It is about 2 1/2 hours from my home and makes a great day trip. Usually run it both directions, matter of fact , it was my first day trip this year. Not for the faint of heart. Every bit as good a ride as the Tail. Lots of sharp twists and turns thru beautiful farmland. Everyone I have taken on this road loves it except for one lady that I thought would have to have the seat on her old man's Dresser surgically removed from her butt, it was puckered so tight. Great ride and well worth the time.

Great road, got your heart pumping and never really stop until you get to Rt78. Careful as there are no straight runs and little time to adjust speed. I wont compare to the Dragon, Ohio 555, or 411 out of Boon NC - they are all fun and unique roads that offer great experience. This road could very easily push out of your comfort zoon, so stay safe, take it with a riding partner and have your safety gear on. Good luck and have fun.

By Gueston December 16, 20094 out of 4 members found this review useful.

4.5out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2006

Motorcycle Make Suzuki

Motorcycle Type Cruiser

Excellent Ohio bike route! Lots of twisties and elevation changes. I rode SR536 and other southeast Ohio roads back in June 2009. This was one of my favorites! Pavement was decent, not much gravel. It follows the mountain ridge so one minute you are on top of the mountain and the next minute cutting through twisty forest. Make sure you do SR 255 and Sykes Ridge Rd while you are in the neighborhood! Also great routes. I'll definitely be back.

By WVrideron April 14, 20173 out of 3 members found this review useful.

5.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2010

Motorcycle Make Honda

Motorcycle Type Sport-Touring

NOTICE ! NOTICE !
Just a heads up, started across this road on 4/9/17, about 6 or 7 miles from Ohio 78 is a major slip and the road is closed until further notice. I rode out to the slip and it appears they area working on it but the entire mountain side came down so they will be a while on this one. I get up that way from time to time and will attempt to advise when it is back open.

Me and a buddy rode here on March 22, 2009 SCARY ROAD lots of gravel dog ran out in front of us along with 5 deer and 5 turkey. BE careful Road has crazy turns but not a great canyon carver place lots of blind hills and gravel.

I have done this road several times and it is a classic for those who like chills and thrills. It is steep, twisty and at speed, hair raising. But the views are so great you will want to do it slow too. Just before the final drop down to the Ohio River, there is a view where the ridgeline forms a perfect semi-circle with the old bridge over the Ohio River down in Hannibal perfectly framed in the center. WOW!

I've ridden this road many times. There are 169 curves in 12 miles, I counted them...A few miles off the Ohio River on Twp. Rd. 419 is Kiedaisch Point Park.The road is a little rough but you can see about 3 miles of the Ohio River.

By Graveson March 19, 20152 out of 2 members found this review useful.

5.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year

Motorcycle Make

Motorcycle Type Cruiser

Roads like this are the reason I ride, well maybe not the sole reason, but you get the point. This is the trickiest (most dangerous) road that I've had the pleasure of riding balls out. When we (my crotch rocket buddy and my cruiser self) turned onto 536 from the boring 78 I was practically drooling with anticipation! Right off the bat there's the rough, gravely twists and turns, which last pretty much the entire route. Danger is around every corner with blind hills, driveways, farm animals etc...Not a whole lot of places to stop for pics or even for an emergency, so take the mental pictures when you can because you'll need to be focused on the road. I got in it and rode the hell out of it the whole way. My buddy finally caught up to me as I got stopped behind a trooper who was waiting for a semi at the hairpin turn toward the end of the route on the Southern end. What a bummer. We had to ride a tight inside to the semi-tractor trailer at that turn because he had stopped on the turn itself!

We got to the bottom, hung out at the locks on the river for a few minutes before heading back up and trying the route the other way. The hairpin was nice but not as great as it could've been in the other direction. Damn semi!

All in all, beautiful scenery and a rough, technical road. I wouldn't recommend this route to a FNG but if you're experienced, confident and have good brakes and tires then this is THE route to ride in all of Ohio! Riding this road is like making sweet, sweet love.

By usagiyo11on August 6, 20132 out of 2 members found this review useful.

5.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2004

Motorcycle Make Kawasaki

Motorcycle Type Sport

The steep elevation changes and tight, technical nature of this route make this one of the most challenging roads you'll find. Hard to find a rhythm on this one not very flowing, but I kept it in a lower gear than I am used to and it is a great tune-up road for the Dragon. Some say this is actually more challenging because of the steep elevation changes...

Awesome road! Very curvy and lots of elevation changes. The views are spectacular so you will have to ride the road a few times; once for the thrill of the ride and another to stop and appreciate the beauty only nature can provide. Be careful though the road is narrow and there are no guard rails so be sure to stay well on your side of the road lest you become a hood ornament for an oncoming car.

By Littlebriaron February 21, 20171 out of 1 members found this review useful.

4.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2016

Motorcycle Make BMW

Motorcycle Type Touring

Nice ride. Road quality was superb. Must have been resurfaced last year. Wide road. Mostly sweeping curves with lots of blind crests. Much easier than the triple nickel that I road yesterday. That road was a significantly bigger challenge which I enjoyed more than this ride.

By Colt2Caton September 1, 20151 out of 1 members found this review useful.

3.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2009

Motorcycle Make Star Stratoliner

Motorcycle Type Cruiser

After reading about this stretch for a few years, I was finally able to ride it this summer with the wife on the back. The layout of the road is everything that has been said about it and more. However, my experience was much less enjoyable than I had anticipated due to the very poor condition of the road. There are very few sections without hot patch, crack seal, and unfilled cracks. Gravel and broken pieces of road are found frequently also. If you like the danger of substandard road conditions, then this is the road for you. I can see where it could be a great ride, but constantly dodging and navigating the road repairs and debris took away a lot of the luster for me.

By pjweimeron August 30, 20151 out of 1 members found this review useful.

4.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2014

Motorcycle Make CanAm RT Limited

Motorcycle Type Touring

MY wife and I rode this route yesterday, Aug 29, 20165, and loved it. We had a great weather day and near no traffic. Road surface was great (some repair patches but presented no threats). Recommend this run to any biker that enjoys a technical ride.

By Akumuon December 25, 20131 out of 1 members found this review useful.

5.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2005

Motorcycle Make Honda

Motorcycle Type Sport-Touring

Probably the twistiest road in Wayne's National Forest (East). Not necessarily the best, though, due to gravel. Not horrible amounts, but enough that along with the average road surface for most of the ride you can't really ride like you know you want to. It's more of a cautionary fun for this road. (Much better than it has been in a while, though. That's for damned sure.) Going east saves you from riding the brakes too much.

By Gueston February 8, 20111 out of 1 members found this review useful.

5.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2009

Motorcycle Make Harley-Davidson

Motorcycle Type Sport

Talk about twists and turns, dips and curves. I didn't think Ohio was capable of having such a route -- but I guess any state in the U.S. could. Living in Indianapolis has its advantages, but their lack of exciting roads is daunting. Don't get me wrong, I love the driving and riding in Indy, but it's mostly corn. Ha ha. I'm looking for new things. . . and it that means a fast and curvy ride, so be it. I wonder what those rides are like in a car. Not nearly the same, I'm guessing. ;)
Rebecca
"On the road again..."
Used Cars Indiana

By Gueston October 11, 20101 out of 1 members found this review useful.

4.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 1996

Motorcycle Make Yamaha

Motorcycle Type Cruiser

What the neck is with the speed bump-like bumps just as you're setting up to enter a lot of the curves?? They extend all the way across the road! Did they just pop up? If we ride this road again, we'll do it north to south - that way we'll hit the bumps as we come out of the curves!
It's a fun road - I've done Deal's Gap, and I've done a lot of the great roads in West Virginia. This is a fun road that, if it had those bumps smoothed out, would be GREAT. The scenery is wonderful, and you definitely have to pay attention.
Once we got to 78, we headed west and went north on 800 - another fun road, although not nearly as challenging as 536.

5-23-10 Just ran down this road as part of my own mad map run in the SE Ohio area. I have been on the Tail of the Dragon many times and to be honest, this road is very curvy but its not the dragon. There are a number of high bumps in the road and the road condition is inconsistent, which makes running this road with any type of attack not recommned. The views are very nice, I recommend you take your time and enjoy the loops and views rather than trying to "straighten the tail" like you might be prone to attempt on TOTD.
Nice road once they get it repaired and consistent. Nice road to ride as well for the views!
Be careful, enjoy the ride!

By Gueston September 25, 20091 out of 1 members found this review useful.

3.5out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2006

Motorcycle Make Harley-Davidson

Motorcycle Type Sport

I rode this today along with 800, 556 and 148. This was actually a disappointment given the hype. While it was fun, it felt very very cramped and I had many cars coming into my lane. I like others had to go into the other lane at the stop sign as it was simply too tight with the climb to stay in my own. I took it easy as it ws my first road with serious twisties in it. I found myself going through the corners about 10-20mph over the recommended except for the 15mph recommended turns. Those were usually tight and no joke. Also the blind climbs with curves shown got my heart going a few times. All in all good fun but wish it wasn't so cramped and went on longer.

Sandman is right, Hands never left the grips. One turn actually had a STOP sign on it! I still had to go into the other lane to make the turn. Course I was going the other direction(from 78 to the river), on the way back it was still tight , but not as bad. I don't know how they ever paved this road. Take it slow, watch the signs, and allow plenty of room between Bikes. Enjoy.

By the Braton February 27, 20180 out of 0 members found this review useful.

4.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2015

Motorcycle Make Yamaha Stratoliner

Motorcycle Type Cruiser

Riding the Dragon was fun, as were some of the other more notable roads in WV, NC and TN. So, my journey in Ohio began at Sykes Ridge Road and Route 7 in Clarington, OH. Headed westerly to Route 536 and turned south and east to Hannibal. Took Route 7 south to Route 255 in Lee Twp. Headed north on 255 to Route 800 and North to Woodsfield. From Woodsfield you can fuel the bike and the bod before taking Route 78 east back to Clarington. I chose to take Route 800 South to Route 7 near the Sistersville Bridge and was glad I did. Keep sharp. Know your Bike. Pay attention. Don't do it after a heavy rain. Enjoy the ride. I surely did...immensely.

Rode this route with 3 other friends yesterday. Loved riding through southeastern Ohio with all of the hills and beautiful scenery. This route was challenging with not knowing where the turns were going to be until you crested the hills. A friend was told about a lot of gravel, but we only saw two spots of concern and they weren't that bad as there was a clear path through it. I can't wait to go back and ride it again. Didn't get a lot of opportunity to enjoy looking around while riding this route with having to put much of my attention on the road. I will take my GoPro with me next time to record the route so I can appreciate the rolling hills and farms.

By lkvb5753on October 7, 20160 out of 0 members found this review useful.

5.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2000

Motorcycle Make bmw 1200lt

Motorcycle Type Touring

rode this on 6 oct 2016 as a two day trip. did the 555 zanesville to parkersburg. the road has just been paved, and was super to ride. watch out for the drop offs the shoulders have not been filled in and could cause problems if you are riding like an ass and going to fast. no trucks allowed, and very little traffic overall. this is a must ride if you can do it, i will do it again next year as well as the rt 26 through wayne national forest. talked with a local rider and he said it is a super ride. you can make a circle from marietta and come out on interstate 77. there are two areas under construction on rt 536 one should be finished very soon, the other doesnt look like it will be done until next year. they are only 200 ft long and controlled by a traffic signal. a small price to pay to have a great time. not a long ride, but good things come in small packages. you wont be disapointed.

By godblesson June 18, 20160 out of 1 members found this review useful.

4.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2013

Motorcycle Make Ducati

Motorcycle Type Sport-Touring

Just completed this route 536 today. Nice and plenty hills. A few hair pin turns, but they're well marked. Gravel is present in some turns but not all, so use caution and focus on the road. Not many guard rails to keep you and your bike from sliding down a hill or off a cliff, so be smart and ride smart. Be sure to stop at Keidash Point and get and awesome picture of the city......

By godblesson June 18, 20160 out of 0 members found this review useful.

4.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2013

Motorcycle Make Ducati

Motorcycle Type Sport-Touring

Just completed this route 536 today. Nice and plenty hills. A few hair pin turns, but they're well marked. Gravel is present in some turns but not all, so use caution and focus on the road. Not many guard rails to keep you and your bike from sliding down a hill or off a cliff, so be smart and ride smart. Be sure to stop at Keidash Point and get and awesome picture of the city......

By HeadOuton June 28, 20140 out of 0 members found this review useful.

5.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2009

Motorcycle Make BMW F800GS

Motorcycle Type Other

One of my favorites rides - great turns & up-down, good site lines, good pavement, nice scenery. There's a fair number of houses and some truck traffic (fracking equipment), but I wasn't stuck behind anything for long. Highly recommended.

By Gueston November 23, 20130 out of 1 members found this review useful.

5.0out of 5

Motorcycle Year 1992

Motorcycle Make Goldwing Gl1500 Trike

Motorcycle Type Cruiser

We have ridden this both directions, and keep coming back, great piece of road. Use caution or a mistake could be really nasty for you and your bike. This road has some nice scenery but, stop to view it or you will become a part of the scene! Shiney parts up, Jay

By Gueston October 12, 20100 out of 0 members found this review useful.

No Rating Provided

Motorcycle Year

Motorcycle Make

Motorcycle Type

We rode 536 last weekend. Oct 10.2010.
It was nice but there were small bumps across the road.
They extended all the way across the road almost like a little speedbump.
There were at least a half dozen of them throughout the course.
A couple of them were bad enough to make my bike hop a little.
Be carefull.

July 12/ 2010, Ohio state route 536 will be CLOSED from July 12 2010 for 39 days for repaire. Don't know what sections ordered by ODOT. Looking forward to a better ride. Deals gap should be reopened by now.Come back in the fall and enjoy the ride.

By Gueston September 21, 20090 out of 1 members found this review useful.

4.5out of 5

Motorcycle Year 2006

Motorcycle Make Suzuki

Motorcycle Type Sport

556 was wow and wow, 536 is OH MY GOD! drove my mazda rx7 on 536 en route to deals gap/tail of the dragon and i can honestly say 536 is scarier. TOTD is very tight, sharp curves but smooth and linear. 536 is like a friggin roller coaster withough the rails. not saying its better or worse the TOTD but it got my heart pumping more. a few apexs at the top of blind hills. i ride from northeast ohio down to marietta often and i will be going down the 536 again, maybe not everytime though.

By Gueston January 8, 20090 out of 0 members found this review useful.

No Rating Provided

Motorcycle Year 1995

Motorcycle Make Honda

Motorcycle Type Touring

Rode the TN. Tail early part of Oct. Late Oct. rode 370 miles of Ohio roads 536 was one of them. Friday afternoon, no traffic, made it in 17 minutes from beginning to end, don't recommend doing that again. Rode it 4 times that day. Very enjoyable. Also rode Rt. 26 out of Mariettia to 70. BEST ride. Long ride. Well worth the time. From 26 you can catch 78 E to 536, or 78 W to 'baby tail'. Nice days ride.

I live on state route 536 in ohio. It is an excelent motorcycle road.I am sorry to say that a 65 year old male rider was killed a few weeks ago . He hit a bad spot in the pavement and hit the gardrail and broke his neck. So please ride with caution.We want this road to be a pleasurer not a killer. By the way we have road the dragons tail several times.I t had 318 curves in 11 miles. state route 536 had 150 curves in 12 miles.Please don' t ride for speed. .

they are not kidding about this road i had to make a delivery on 536in the semi wow i had fun but wish i was on the bike beautiful ride you all think its fun on a bike you should try it in a semi will definitly be back to ride it on the bike well worth a trip to ride this an this is coming from someone who has also rode the dragon its just a nice ride